Great demo, I was going back and forth about using this method to weld my radiator mounts and this solves the question as to will the weld be strong enough to hold. You just saved me $75 to the local welding shop. Im defiantly using this method. Great job.
I'm glad you achieved success, this methods worked well for years. Even with your success when you did it, the parent metal was nowhere near hot enough to apply your rod and keep your rod out of the flame completely. If you look at the beginning part of your video before you started to heat aluminum you can see crevice inside the weld area where there was lack of flow. That's because you didn't heat the parent metal up enough there and when you did the reheat, you still didn't heat it up enough. It will work even better for you if you keep this parent metal much hotter before you apply the rod. And, while I agree a smaller diameter rod would wet in better, the lack of sufficient heat to the parent metal is more the culprit of the blobs of aluminum than the rod diameter is. I also suggest taking that map gas to a scrap of thinner aluminum and OVERHEAT it until it deforms so you get a feel for the symptoms. You have to get it hotter than you did.
I use it all the time to repair high pressure refrigeration coolers I don't buy it a harbor .freight. but at Grainger same stuff. it does work clean clean clean your parts good I use a oxygen acetylene torch 😁👍
This stuff works providing the person knows what they are doing, you sir obviously do. I repaired air conditioning lines with this stuff without fail, of course the system has to be emptied, evacuated, and opened first. One can never be too safe. Thanks for sharing your unbiased opinion. 👍🏻
thoroughly impressed!. I also do a lot of brazing and soldering but this is truly a game changer. I haven't heard to much about this stuff but I also don't hear about people brazing anymore. probably because no one knows how to do it anymore.
Great video. You've taken all the nonsense out of this issue and laid it to rest. Now i shall proceed with confidence on repairing my outboard skeg. Thank you.
I KNOW nothing on aluminium welding...but this application appears to be possibly very useful for aluminum bikes (I.e. bicycles/cargo bikes mtn. Bikes) . I have a design I wanted to build (personal use cargo bike/electric wheel hub system) it appears it's all in heat control...Thanks for your video!!!! Keep making them!!!
a few years ago I bought some aluminum rods from Harbor Freight for a money saving venture. I could not have been happier with my results. after some major repairs to a Ford Taurus (my wifes vehicle) I found I created a problem with the AC. An aluminum line got bent a little too close to a bolt and wore a hole in the tube. cost of replacement with scrap yard parts was several hundred dollars. I took a chance and tried using aluminun rod. I sold the vehicle a few months ago ( more than 3 years since the repair) and the AC was still holding pressure. Because of the restricted area I had to work in I used a microtorch with butane. I should also note that I have what would be considered no welding experience ( unless you cound circuit board soldering then I have a lot). I hope your small adventure went as well.
Thanks for making this video, it was good information. This stuff looks like it would come in handy for repairing aluminum tubing on or going to condensers. Unless you know of a better product for that
I've used this process before; my opinion is that the success of the join us heavily dictated by the temperature of the work pieces, and more so the way that you can have an even temperature between pieces. I would use a chalk mark on the alloy and heat until it disappeared, which gets you pretty close to an ideal temperature.
ok , i have watched a few vids on this , but you really showed how to do this properly.i am working on building a recumbent trike and trailer for my daily commute. im thinking this will work perfect to build a light weight trailer!
I just did a job similar to yours, but I used propane and the Harbor Freight rods. I have this extension. Its called the Bernzomatic WH0159 Universal Torch Extension Hose. I use it with Coleman 2000015166 Propane Cylinder Bulk Adapter and hook it up to my 20lb propane tank. On the working end I use the TS 4000. The reason I like the hose is that it has a adjustment valve for the gas flow which the TS4000 doesn't have. I like it because I only use the torch in my shop and don't have to wonder If I running low on propane as often. Got the hose at HD and the adapter is on Amazon. I have Mapp gas but found out the propane just about as well as the Mapp. I like the hose because it's easier to handle the torch and the torch can be inverted. It just happened that I've had the 20lb tank for a long time which was hooked up to a BBQ. The BBq got old and I never used it so I gutted out the burners and use the pit for a welding station. Grate is useful for welding for certain jobs.I also have a brick on the grate to help heating the pieces.
I haven't used the Harbor Freight product yet. But, I have repaired and fabricated a lot of dirt/street motorcycle components with HTS-2000 -- a similar aluminum brazing rod. As long as one gets the clean parts to "wet," the joint should be plenty strong. It does take a bit of practice to get used to the way it flows as mentioned in the video. Be sure the cleaning of the aluminum is done with a plastic scrounge pad, file, or stainless steel brush/wheel. Embedding regular steel into the aluminum could cause corrosion problems down the road. I've built mounting brackets, repaired worn out foot peg mounting holes for re-drilling, fixed swing arm chain guard/guide block mounting holes, etc. Big massive parts like motorcycle swing arms require oxy/acetylene, though, due to the fast heat-conducting properties of large chunks of aluminum. The stuff is a nice go-to solution for some projects and fixes.
I have used this stuff and it works great. Map gas works better than propane but I have gotten it to work with just regular propane. It does put down too much material but I had success pulling some of it back off. Oxygen/acetylene is best you just have to not get it too hot.
Treat your clean up the same as TIG welding. Also using a virgin stainless steel wire brush, OR clean, virgin sand paper/Emery cloth. Keep and eye those clean up parts, files, grinders etc separate from steel work or any other metal. These rods have been sold for years and were developed for the most part to repair old "pot" metal grills and side mirrors before replating. Many industry have found them superior to TIG welding in they need less equipment and training to effect repairs on simple aluminum parts and also it works well on cheaper cast parts as well and due to it's zinc content will actually attach to zinc/lead gavanized pipes. Saw a guy shape a temporary repair on an outside water pipe by cleaning pipe but not removing galvanizing then he clamped some aluminum half Moon rings around pipe on each side of hole then filled in between them. Looked odd but by golly it worked till pipes could be replaced properly
Thanks for the video. I was tempted to buy this stuff but it got a lot of thumbs down on the internet. Looks like if you do it correctly (have sufficient heat like MAP) and clean the joints that it does work. I'll pick my self up some next time I'm there now that I know it does work
Great information. I have an aluminum tool box that had been broken. I need to cut the end out, straighten it, then try this to "weld" the end piece back in. "Talk amongst yourselves" that was funny! MB BAR RANCH
Hello I purchased some Alumirod at a flea market. It works great filling in holes in cans and larger cracks in aluminum but when it came down to a small crack in a 5 horsepower Tecumseh sump cover there was excessive amounts as you indicated. They tell you to wire brush area to keep it dull which I did but i could still see the crack line. I assembled the piece but it still leaked thru. I’m going to dremel out the area more including the cracked area and give it another try. Nice video
Don't make the same mistake a lot of people make. The alloys used to make these aluminum 'brazing' rods differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. There's no guarantee that what you bought at the flea market was indeed the same you can get from HF, unless of course it was marked with the same name, Alumiweld. The best I've used thus far, albeit expensive and not immediately available like the Alumiweld, is Muggy Weld. Muggy weld seems to perform better on wet out and is superior in bonding. They also have a low temperature rod, used with a liquid flux, that I use a lot for really small stuff when I can't conveniently use my welder or Alumiweld.
Ive had success cutting a piece that I estimate will cover the area I need and get it and the surface hot till it flows then I lay that length down in the area I want it. The result is a cleaner looking "weld".
I'm trying to use this to attach an aluminum ladder rack to an aluminum utility trailer. I'm using the gas from home depot un the yellow can but I cant seem to get it hot enough even after 15 minutes. Any suggestions?
Nice demo. When you bend both pieces at the same time and not break the brazed bond your joint is good. Looks like you used 6063Al. I wonder if it works as good with 6061Al which is actual structural Al. Their weldability is about the same if I remember right.
Call video, the only thing I could say is cut it in half see the world from the inside it looks firm on the impact force, so it's probably good and maybe give her clearinformation on what products you purchase either a picture of the package or part number. All in all great video thanks.
I usually use AL822 rods using an A2 tip for turbo torch or oxy acetylene 0 tip if I am doing copper joints also. I usually do evaps though.. I like my rods cuz it has Flux on them already
It should work really good with a 00 or 000 tip with acetylene . Now I want to try it with my tig for those jobs where you really don't want too much heat build up . Thanks great video .
Comments from my friend at Arnold's Design about alumiweld: "I have some of those alumiweld rods here. A pack of them lasts quite a while. It's more of a solder, because it doesn't penetrate into the base metal. I'm pretty sure it's a type of high zinc alloy, or pot metal, because you can take a zinc rod, or even a zinc based penny and do the same thing. Alumiweld makes a nice looking joint, and is pretty strong, but I wouldn't really trust it with structural parts. I found it eventually oxidizes between the zinc and the aluminum, and the joint gets weak. I soldered my one drip tray together with it on my first vapor blaster. The second one was giving me fits trying to solder, so I got out my welder and actually welded the sucker together, which was actually easier. I used alumiweld on a prototype wet blasting gun too. The joint looked great, but after a few months of use it fell apart."
Thanks for posting! I haven't tried soldering aluminum (aluminium) but have gotten the gas and torch. Your demo gives me assurance that it's not only possible, but can make a good joint. Hey, hopefully the trolls won't quit sniping, otherwise what fun would we have?
Only additional info I would look for is: Slicing through the brazed parts to see penetration. Repeat the process on 2 flats, like 2 pieces of the angle you used. Braze one side and then flex against the weakest connection. Intentional break to see penetration. Again just destruction test to see how the seam performs.
How far between the pieces does the brazing material penetrate or flow? Does it just puddle and lay on top? Does the melt; wet and flow or wick or act like "sweated" solder? My bad on choice of words.
I doubt it is as strong as a good weld but it looks like you would destroy the component before breaking the joint so if it's not a critical component this should be good enough. The more tools at your disposal the better off you are. I too have a tig welder and can tig weld aluminum but especially with it being a transformer welder opposed to an inverter type this may be better on really thin aluminum .
Nice Video What kind Rod was that? & you Used mapp gas? Can you buy all of these at harbor freight do you think it would work on 2" buy 1/4 inch flat bar
Wow do I need help! I need to solder an aluminum bar that is very thin, if it helps you understand, I'm soldering one of those Halloween animated figures that use the black aluminum poles to keep the costume upright. I cracked the pole at a "T" junction. I tried solder but it's just too thin and falls right through (the kind used for electrical soldering) but the bar in your video will be far too thick to work with. What can I heat up to fill the crack and repair the break once it cools? Thanks so much
Tommy- you cannot "solder" aluminum with "normal" solder, beit electrical or plumbing, it won't bond to aluminum. Frankly, I can't relate to your Halloween thingy that uses 'black aluminum'?? If it's aluminum then it will have to be cleaned, probably by sanding (to make it metallic colored, not black) and the Alumiweld could work but you would have to use one of the smallest (in diameter) rods they provide. However, It also takes skill using a torch and a bit of experience if it's delicate. If you don't have a torch then you likely better try something else like an epoxy and perhaps a cloth wrap for strength. JB Weld is available at most Auto parts stores.
@@kaydee457 Thanks, and you were right, even the smallest rod was far too big, "Steelstik" by JB weld did the job perfectly. It hardens so well you can drill it...and I got E Z fuse tape to reinforce it. Many thanks
Great video, question, do you think this method is safe to use to build am aluminum bicycle frame? Also where can I find information on the strength and limits of this technique. I like the simplicity of the method. I'd like to know how strong these joints are.
As others have stated: it is NOT welding anything it is soldering or brazing and there's no penetration of the base metals. The Alloy in the Rod bonds to the two surfaces being joined.
It is if you're patient and use some common sense. It doesn't wet out like solder. It stays more solid than liquid and fluid. If you have a pool of shiny filler then you're at the right temperature. But, it does indeed work and it works very well.
